Rocko — Another SPCA Dead Dog

After using Rocko's sad story to amass money, the SPCA kills him. This is not unusual. Former SPCA employees have told us that SPCA managers would have p.r. photos taken of them hugging some hapless cat or dog, which would then be callously sent to the gas box or the killing room.

Rocko was killed in spite of offers to rehabilitate him from the Sunshine Coast's most respected dog behaviourist. This is what that person told us:

"Sadly another dog was euth'd at the SPCA here last week. He (Rocko) was the subject of a big fundraiser and brought in as a cruelty victim (lab mix needing cruciate surgery and owned by a local drug dealer apparently). Thousands of $$ were raised for him but he bit someone in the foster home so he was scheduled for euth last Thursday. When I heard about it, I offered to help him. A member of the community here said that a lady in Van wanted the dog and was well versed in dealing with dogs with issues but they would not let her have him. Now he is dead."

Note the names of the two photos from the SPCA's site: news-sad-dog-rocko and news-sad-dog-rocko-cone.

From the SPCA's website http://www.spca.bc.ca/branches/sunshine-coast/rocko.html: Sunshine Coast SPCA seeks public's help to give abused dog a second chance

The Sunshine Coast Branch of the BC SPCA is appealing to the community to help Rocko, a beautiful lab-mix dog who was rescued in a cruelty investigation earlier this month. The five-year-old dog needs specialized surgery to repair ruptured cruciate ligaments in both of his hind legs, but the $6,000 price tag for the surgery goes beyond the shelter's available medical budget.

"The surgery is expensive but Rocko is an amazing dog who has suffered so much through past neglect," says Cindy Krapiec, manager at the Sunshine Coast Branch. "He has a wonderful personality despite the intense pain he has lived with for years and we really want to help him walk again without pain and to find him the loving home he deserves."

Rocko was surrendered into SPCA care on July 3 after the branch received a cruelty complaint about the dog, who was limping, missing half of his fur and was covered with raw wounds and scabs all over his body. He was also suffering from painful ruptured cruciate ligaments in his hind legs, likely the result of being hit by a car years ago.

"It is heartbreaking to think that this poor dog has been suffering such pain for years, with no treatment," says Krapiec. She says the SPCA has been treating Rocko with anti-fungal baths, a strict hypoallergenic diet, antibiotics and antihistamines since he arrived and his skin condition has improved dramatically.

"He has made great strides and his fur is growing back, but he really needs the cruciate surgery if he is going to be able to walk without pain," says Krapiec. "We would be so grateful if there are animal lovers out there willing to help this beautiful dog." Krapiec adds that despite the neglect and suffering he has endured Rocko is a happy-go-lucky dog who loves to cuddle with the staff and volunteers.

Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations for the BC SPCA, notes that the SPCA cared for nearly 30,000 abused, neglected and homeless animals last year, including nearly 400 at the Sunshine Coast shelter. "Many of the animals surrendered to us need urgent medical care and it is only through the compassion and generosity of our supporters that we can provide this life-saving help."

If anyone is able to help Rocko and other animals in need, donations will be gratefully received online, by calling the Sunshine Coast SPCA Branch at 604-740-0301 or by dropping off or mailing your donation to the Sunshine Coast Branch, 4376 Solar Road, Sechelt, B.C., V0N 3A1.

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From the Coast Reporter: The Sunshine Coast SPCA is asking for donations to help give Rocko, a severely abused five-year-old Labrador mix, a second chance at a happy, pain-free life.

THE HORRIBLE IRONY IS THAT THE SPCA JUST KILLED ROCKO. AND DID ROCKO EVER GET HIS EXPENSIVE KNEE SURGERY? IF HE DIDN'T THEN CHRONIC PAIN COUILD BE WHY HE NIPPED AT SOMEONE. IF ROCKO DIDN'T GET HIS KNEE SURGERY, DONORS HAVE BEEN MISLED. WE WELCOME TO HEAR FROM THE SPCA THAT ROCKO GOT HIS KNEE SURGERY AS PROMISED.

August 2, 2013

Christine Wood/Staff Writer

The Sunshine Coast SPCA is asking for donations to help give Rocko, a severely abused five-year-old Labrador mix, a second chance at a happy, pain-free life.

Rocko was surrendered to the shelter on July 3 after the SPCA investigated a tip that the dog was in poor health and seemed to be in pain.

"In this case a member of the public saw him kind of limping along the road and when we got him, more than half of his fur was missing because of skin irritation. He had allergies and really bad fleas, so his whole body was just covered with raw wounds and scabs," said Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations with the BC SPCA, noting the shelter was able to treat Rocko, rid him of the fleas and heal his skin condition.

What's not an easy fix is the repair of the young dog's hind legs, which both have ruptured cruciate ligaments, likely the result of being hit by a car years ago.

"It's heartbreaking to think that this poor dog has been suffering such pain for years, with no treatment," said Cindy Krapiec, Sunshine Coast SPCA branch manager. "He has made great strides and his fur is growing back, but he really needs the cruciate surgery if he is going to be able to walk without pain."

The surgery costs $6,000, which is well beyond what the shelter can afford.

"We spend several million dollars a year throughout the province on veterinary care because many of the animals that come to us do come with serious illnesses or injuries," Chortyk said, explaining that while the medical budget varies from branch to branch, shelters are only able to spend about $800 on average per animal in their care.

Rocko's treatment to date has used up his allotted amount, which is why the shelter is now turning to the public for donations to help pay for his needed surgery.

"We would be so grateful if there are animal lovers out there willing to help this beautiful dog," Krapiec said.

She described Rocko as a happy-go-lucky dog who loves to cuddle with staff and volunteers.

"He's just an amazing lovely dog and he's young and he's come from a situation where he was so badly neglected that he's had a lot of health issues. But they are all treatable and we just feel like this poor little guy so badly deserves to be pain free and in a loving home," Chortyk noted.

If you would like to give to Rocko's surgery you can donate online at www.spca.bc.ca/support (make sure to indicate that your gift is for the Sunshine Coast SPCA), by calling the local branch at 604-740-0301 or by dropping off or mailing your donation to 4376 Solar Rd., Sechelt, B.C. V0N 3A1.

The shelter is also taking information from people who might want to adopt Rocko after he's healed and would ideally like to find a loving home that could also foster him while he undergoes treatment.

The SPCA is following up the cruelty complaint that brought Rocko to their shelter and Chortyk said that if a solid case can be crafted the SPCA will charge Rocko's former owner.

http://www.coastreporter.net/article/20130802/SECHELT0101/308029981/-1/sechelt/dog-needs-help-to-live-happy-pain-free-life

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THE KILLING OF ROCKO - PART THREE

After the Sunshine Coast SPCA raised about $12,000 for Rocko, a lab-mix in need of surgery, the animal has been euthanized for showing severe aggression towards humans.

October 11, 2013

Christine Wood/Staff Writer

After a public plea by the Sunshine Coast SPCA that raised about $12,000 for Rocko, a five-year-old lab-mix dog in need of surgery, the animal has been euthanized.

"We did have to euthanize him for showing severe aggression towards humans," said Cindy Krapiec, branch manager.

She said Rocko was being treated for a skin condition while awaiting the cruciate surgery that would allow him to walk pain-free; however, he never got the needed procedure.

"Unfortunately they can't go into surgery when they already have a pre-existing infection, and his skin was completely infected, his whole body was infected with a dermatitis infection."

While being treated for the skin problem, Rocko was sent home with a foster family. It was in that family placement at the end of August that Rocko bit a teenager, Krapiec said.

"We brought him back to the shelter and we were working with him, hoping that it was maybe pain related or there was something else going on, but his behaviour escalated. He just tried to attack person after person, and we just couldn't take that risk. Obviously you can't re-home an animal that's shown such severe aggression, so we had to euthanize him," Krapiec said.

Former owner of Rocko, Shaun Thorald, said he would have taken Rocko back without hesitation; however, Krapiec said that offer couldn't be extended since the former owners are still being investigated for animal cruelty.

Thorald maintains his family never abused Rocko.

"The dog was never abused, the dog was nothing but loved," Thorald said.

"He had fleas, he had a hip issue and chewing problem and it culminated all at the same time but in no way does that mean abuse, not even negligence, unless you left him like that. We were treating him for fleas and it didn't work, so we used another one and it irritated his skin."

Rocko was eventually surrendered to the Sunshine Coast SPCA when an animal cruelty investigation was launched after someone reported seeing him limping in pain along the highway.

Thorald said Rocko, who "is actually a purebred pitbull," never showed any signs of aggression during his years with the family and he was surprised to hear Rocko bit someone.

"He has never bit anyone before," Thorald said.

"He was just a big lap dog who loved to jump up and cuddle."

Lorie Chortyk, general manager of community relations with the BC SPCA, said Rocko was deemed to be adoptable in the beginning, which is why they made him a poster pooch for a fundraising campaign.

"He came to us on July 19. Normally when a dog comes into our care, we do a full behavioural assessment, but because his medical state was so poor we weren't able to do that. But he was very friendly and seemed highly adoptable. There was nothing in his initial behaviour that caused any concern," Chortyk said.

"I don't think we've ever done an appeal where we've had to euthanize an animal, and in this case the staff and volunteers really believed there was a bright future for this dog."

After the biting incident, Krapiec said Rocko was taken to the vet to ensure his pain medication was adequate, as pain can sometimes cause an animal to behave violently, but she said the medication was not considered to be a factor.

Ultimately the shelter doesn't know why Rocko became aggressive but Chortyk said they had to euthanize the dog as he was deemed to be a risk to the community.

Krapiec said there is about $6,000 left from the money raised for Rocko that will now be used for other animals at the shelter.

"We have a dog right now that's getting 25 teeth pulled, so I mean there's always going to be more medical that we can put it towards. But it's hard when we raised all that money just for him and had intended to do the surgery," she said. http://www.coastreporter.net/article/20131011/SECHELT0101/310119969/spca-poster-pup-euthanized